COMMON WHITE WAVE

ADULT: Wingspan 25-33mm.  A soft pearly white Geometrid with a light speckling of greyish flecks and 3 silvery-grey straight cross-lines on the forewing and 2 on the hindwing. Rarely these one of more of these cross-lines can be absent. CHRYSALIS: Overwinters in this stage.  LARVA: Greenish to purplish brown and stick-like with several brownish marks along the back that have white dots on each side. Feeds on Downy and Silver Birch as well as Alders and Sallows. BEHAVIOUR: A dusk flyer that is attracted to light in small numbers. It can also be disturbed from foliage during the day. HABITAT: Woodland, scrub and occasionally gardens. FLIGHT PERIOD: May to September with 2 merging generations. STATUS: Resident.  Common.